Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-06-24
A FORGOTTEN HEIR.
r. Romance Developed at Mtnneap.
oils by the Settling of an Estate.

* Romance Developed at Mtnneap-
oils by the Settling of an Estate.
About six months ago, says The Min-
ueapolis Jouzaal, the probate Judge was
petitioned to appoint a guardian for
Dolly L. Pratt, a young miss of II, who
was claimed to be the daughter of the
late Stephen Pratt. The appointment
was made, and yesterday afternoon,
when the estate was before Probate
Judge Won Schlegel fo1afinal distribu-
ton, there was unusual interest on the
part OF the family to see their new
found relat We, for such she proved to
be. Ihev had not given any credence
10 her claims aau were anxious to hear
the story she might relate.
There were present Yesterday Mrs.
Pratt, the second wife of the deceased,
and II. G. Pratt, a son by the first mar
rage. With Miss Dolly L. Pratt, as
she gave her name, were Mrs. II. j.
HnIett and Henry +. Fischer and wife,
of Maple Plain, and Miss Catherine
Zurich, Il midwife. who was present
when Miss Dolly was born seventeen
years ago.
The developments that followed were
decidedly interesting and romantic.
The property of the late Stephen Pratt
consists of $4,000 personal property
and twentv-tElree acres of valuable
llnd on Western avenue, and the step
mother and son present had supposed
they were the only heirs The son
could not recall that he ever had a Sis
ter. He was confident that he had
never seen her. and thought that she
must be an impostor. Mrs. Pratt was
equally confident, RS she had never
heard her deceased husband mention
that he had another c!lld. The parties
present. with the ncw-fouud daughter
then told their story, which proves be-
yond question that Miss Dolly Pratt
is q sister of II. &. Pratt. and that their
first meeting occurred yesterday.
Mrs. Il. E. Hulett a resident of
Maple Plain. who has resided ia the
county for forty years, and in Mime
apolis except the last two years, said
she knew Stephen Pratt in Name.
When he came to Minneapolis she was
10 years Of age and then living here,
her parents having preceded him to
the western frontier That was thirty
seven years ago. When Mr. Pratt ar
rived he came to her fathers house to
board. He was then married to the
woman who afterward became the
mother Of Dolly Pratt. After remain
ing there some time MIR. Pratt pur-
chased a farm on Plymouth avenue,
where he lived until his death, about
year ago. In the summer Of 1871,
said Mrs. Hulett, she worked at his
house for three months. She was then
Mrs. Rosenkrauz. and her home was
on the triangle near the Plymouth
avenue bridge. She left Mr.. Pratt's
in June. but before leaving Mr.. Pratt
arranged with her to care for his wife
at home during :, period of confinc-
n1ent then close at hand, and four
weeks before her illness Mrs. Pratt
was domicilcd at Mrs. Rosenkrapz'
house, Mr.. Pratt paying s. "A week for
her support. About SEPT. | lie child
was born, Mrs, Zurich actiu 2 as nurse.
1t was girl baby, and any hopes that
might have been entertained that the
newcomer would be Of short life were
not realized, for the wee bit oI humanity
prospered.
Mr. Pratt paid his weekly allowance
until the babe wus 6 weeks old. and
then said he could way no more. Mrs
Pratt then gave the child 10 Mrs. Hulett
Chen Rcsenkranz) and told her to care
for It. Mrs Hulett did not state why
her child was given her. but the little
one seemed to be unwelcomc. With
the consent Of her mother, the babe
was given to Mrs. Henry +. Fischer,
Of Maple Plain, then living in Minnc-.
apolis, aud they have since cared for
her. Mrs. Hulett said she had seen
Dolly often, and had kept watch of
her for fifteen years, so that she knew
she was the same babe that she ctre,t
for. Mr.. Fischer's people were told it
was Stephen Pratt's child.
Henry F. Fischer related the crcum-
stances attending the bringing Of the
child to his house, and he had taken
care OF her ever since. Mrs Fischer
and the nurse, Mrs. Zurich. all told the
same story, and the new daughtef had
to be received into the family circle.
Her mother, Nancy Pratt. was married
to Stephen Pratt at AnoKa in 1853 sags
The property that Miss Dolly will &C
quire will amount to about $50, 900.
The real estate consists of twentv-threc
acres in section II, township 20, and
is valued at 5000